44-1531.02. Consumer restitution and remediation revolving fund; subaccounts; annual report
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/az/title-44/44-1531-02A research copy — for the controlling text, always check the official state or federal source. Not legal advice.
A. The consumer restitution and remediation revolving fund is established to be administered by the attorney general under the conditions and for the purposes provided by this section. On notice from the attorney general, the state treasurer shall invest and divest monies in the fund as provided by section 35-313, and monies earned from investment shall be credited to the appropriate subaccount of the fund.
B. The consumer restitution subaccount of the consumer restitution and remediation revolving fund is established consisting of monies collected or received by the attorney general as the result of an order of a court of competent jurisdiction, or as the result of a settlement or compromise, for the purpose of compensating specific, identifiable persons, including this state, for economic loss resulting from violations or alleged violations of consumer protection laws. The attorney general shall administer the subaccount.
Monies in the subaccount are continuously appropriated. Monies in the subaccount are exempt from the provisions of section 35-190 relating to lapsing of appropriations. The attorney general shall distribute monies in the subaccount to specific, identifiable persons as directed by a court order. The attorney general may distribute any unexpended monies in the consumer restitution subaccount to the consumer protection–consumer fraud revolving fund established by section 44-1531.01.
C. The consumer remediation subaccount of the consumer restitution and remediation revolving fund is established consisting of monies collected or received by the attorney general from a party as the result of an order of a court of competent jurisdiction, or as the result of a settlement or compromise, to rectify violations or alleged violations of consumer protection laws, other than monies collected for the benefit of specific, identifiable persons and monies for investigative or court costs, attorney fees, civil penalties or other monies recovered as a result of the enforcement of consumer protection laws deposited in the consumer protection-consumer fraud revolving fund pursuant to section 44-1531.01.
The attorney general shall administer the subaccount. All monies deposited in the subaccount pursuant to opioid claims-related litigation or settlements are subject to legislative appropriation. All monies that are not from opioid claims-related litigation or settlements and that are in the subaccount up to the amount of $4,000,000 annually are continuously appropriated. Any amounts in excess of $4,000,000 are subject to legislative appropriation. Monies in the subaccount are exempt from the provisions of section 35-190 relating to lapsing of appropriations.
The attorney general may spend monies in the subaccount for programs, including consumer fraud education programs, that are intended to rectify violations or alleged violations of consumer protection laws. The attorney general may spend monies in the consumer remediation subaccount for operating expenses incurred by the department of law in administering or implementing programs intended to rectify violations or alleged violations of consumer protection laws. The attorney general shall submit an expenditure plan to the joint legislative budget committee for review before spending any monies in the subaccount.
D. On or before January 15, April 15, July 15 and October 15 each year, the attorney general shall file with the governor, with copies to the director of the department of administration, the president of the senate, the speaker of the house of representatives, the secretary of state and the staff director of the joint legislative budget committee, a full and complete account of the receipts and disbursements from the fund by subaccount in the previous calendar quarter. The account must include a separate delineated report that includes the receipts and disbursements for all opioid claims-related litigation monies.
E. On or before December 31 of each year, the attorney general shall file with the governor's office of strategic planning and budgeting and the staff director of the joint legislative budget committee a report on the attorney general's current projections for total opioid claims-related litigation monies that are to be deposited in the fund through the lifetime of all opioid settlements. The report shall also include a detailed accounting of all opioid claims-related litigation monies that the attorney general has spent as of the date of the report, outlined by the use of monies and the fiscal year.